Both as a standalone and as part of the DSOTS album, you can take this lyric as read. As a matter of public record, Jourgensen's drug intake was legendary even in the 1980s. By the late 90s, in his own words, he was grappling with massive addiction issues and had lost almost everything: friends, spouse, money and had nearly died more than once. "Dark Side of the Spoon" is a both funny & sad title for an album made by a musical genius who was losing the plot; and this song is a message to his fans & friends saying he knows it. It's painful to listen to so I'm glad the "Keith Richards of industrial metals" wised up and cleaned up. Well done sir.
Falling through pages of Martens on angels
Feeling my heart pull west
I saw the future dressed as a stranger
Love in a space-dye vest
Love is an act of blood and I'm bleeding
A pool in the shape of a heart
Beauty projection in the reflection
Always the worst way to start
"But he's the sort who can't know
Anyone intimately, least of all a
Woman,
He doesn't know what a woman
Is,
He wants you for a possession,
Something to look at like a painting or an ivory box.
Something to own and to display.
He doesn't want you to be real,
Or to think or to live.
He doesn't love you, but I love you.
I want you to have your own thoughts and ideas and
Feelings, even when
I hold you in my arms.
It's our last chance
It's our
Last chance"
Now that you're gone I'm trying to take it
Learning to swallow the rage
Found a new girl I think we can make it
As long as she stays on the page
This is not how I want it to end
And I'll never be open again
"I was gonna move out, get,
Get a job, get my own place,
But, I go into the mall where I
Want to work and they tell me, I'm,
I was too young"
"Some people, gave advice before,
About facing the facts, about
Facing reality. And this is, this
Without a doubt, is his biggest
Challenge ever. He's going to have to face it.
You're gonna have to try, he's gonna to have to try and,
Uh, and, and, and get some help here. I mean no one can
Say they know how he feels."
"That, so they say that, in ya know
Like, Houston or something, you'd
Say it's a hundred and eighty degrees,
But it's a dry heat.
In Houston they say that?
Oh, maybe not. I'm all mixed up.
Dry until they hit the swimming pool."
"I get up with the sun, listen.
You have your own room to sleep in,
I don't care what you do. I don't
Care when. That door gets locked,
That door gets locked at night by nine o'clock.
If you're not in this house by nine o'clock, then you'd
Better find some
Place to sleep. Because you're not going to be a bum in
This house.
Supper is ready"
There's no one to take my blame
If they wanted to
There's nothing to keep me sane
And it's all the same to you
There's nowhere to set my aim
So I'm everywhere
Never come near me again
Do you really think I need you
I'll never be open again, I could never be open again.
I'll never be open again, I could never be open again.
And I'll smile and I'll learn to pretend
And I'll never be open again
And I'll have no more dreams to defend
And I'll never be open again
Feeling my heart pull west
I saw the future dressed as a stranger
Love in a space-dye vest
Love is an act of blood and I'm bleeding
A pool in the shape of a heart
Beauty projection in the reflection
Always the worst way to start
"But he's the sort who can't know
Anyone intimately, least of all a
Woman,
He doesn't know what a woman
Is,
He wants you for a possession,
Something to look at like a painting or an ivory box.
Something to own and to display.
He doesn't want you to be real,
Or to think or to live.
He doesn't love you, but I love you.
I want you to have your own thoughts and ideas and
Feelings, even when
I hold you in my arms.
It's our last chance
It's our
Last chance"
Now that you're gone I'm trying to take it
Learning to swallow the rage
Found a new girl I think we can make it
As long as she stays on the page
This is not how I want it to end
And I'll never be open again
"I was gonna move out, get,
Get a job, get my own place,
But, I go into the mall where I
Want to work and they tell me, I'm,
I was too young"
"Some people, gave advice before,
About facing the facts, about
Facing reality. And this is, this
Without a doubt, is his biggest
Challenge ever. He's going to have to face it.
You're gonna have to try, he's gonna to have to try and,
Uh, and, and, and get some help here. I mean no one can
Say they know how he feels."
"That, so they say that, in ya know
Like, Houston or something, you'd
Say it's a hundred and eighty degrees,
But it's a dry heat.
In Houston they say that?
Oh, maybe not. I'm all mixed up.
Dry until they hit the swimming pool."
"I get up with the sun, listen.
You have your own room to sleep in,
I don't care what you do. I don't
Care when. That door gets locked,
That door gets locked at night by nine o'clock.
If you're not in this house by nine o'clock, then you'd
Better find some
Place to sleep. Because you're not going to be a bum in
This house.
Supper is ready"
There's no one to take my blame
If they wanted to
There's nothing to keep me sane
And it's all the same to you
There's nowhere to set my aim
So I'm everywhere
Never come near me again
Do you really think I need you
I'll never be open again, I could never be open again.
I'll never be open again, I could never be open again.
And I'll smile and I'll learn to pretend
And I'll never be open again
And I'll have no more dreams to defend
And I'll never be open again
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings
Step
Ministry
Ministry
Cajun Girl
Little Feat
Little Feat
Overall about difficult moments of disappointment and vulnerability. Having hope and longing, while remaining optimistic for the future. Encourages the belief that with each new morning there is a chance for things to improve.
The chorus offers a glimmer of optimism and a chance at a resolution and redemption in the future.
Captures the rollercoaster of emotions of feeling lost while loving someone who is not there for you, feeling let down and abandoned while waiting for a lover. Lost with no direction, "Now I'm up in the air with the rain in my hair, Nowhere to go, I can go anywhere"
The bridge shows signs of longing and a plea for companionship. The Lyrics express a desire for authentic connection and the importance of Loving someone just as they are. "Just in passing, I'm not asking. That you be anyone but you”
Gentle Hour
Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo
This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
No Surprises
Radiohead
Radiohead
Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
Just A Little Lovin'
Dusty Springfield
Dusty Springfield
I don't think it's necessarily about sex. It's about wanting to start the day with some love and affection. Maybe a warm cuddle. I'm not alone in interpreting it that way! For example:
"'Just a Little Lovin’ is a timeless country song originally recorded by Eddy Arnold in 1954. The song, written by Eddie Miller and Jimmy Campbell, explores the delicate nuances of love and showcases Arnold’s emotive vocals. It delves into the universal theme of love and how even the smallest gesture of affection can have a profound impact on our lives." https://oldtimemusic.com/the-meaning-behind-the-song-just-a-little-lovin-by-eddy-arnold/
I think the bridge is the most meaningful for me,
"there's no one to take my blame, etc."
"and I'll smile and I'll learn to pretend and I'll never be open again and I'll have no more dreams to defend and I'll never be open again"
that part I feel that I can relate to, because of a girl I know I think that the emotion in this song is helped a lot by the guitar and piano though